Shantoub: Muslim countries must raise their voice against Islamophobia

Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Shantoub called on Islamic countries to "show an influential position" and to raise their voices against anti-Islam, pointing out that the phenomenon of Islamophobia is escalating rapidly in Europe.

Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentoub said that Islamic countries should raise their voice against anti-Islam and express an influential position, but he added: "But we do not always see this."

This came during his meeting, on Tuesday, with the head of the Turkish-Iranian Parliamentary Friendship Group, Adel Najafzadeh, and his accompanying delegation in the capital, Ankara.

Shantoub added that the phenomenon of Islamophobia is rapidly escalating in Europe, pointing to the Swedish authorities' permission to burn a copy of the Holy Qur'an in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

He pointed out that the Union of Parliaments of the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation prepared an important and comprehensive report on the phenomenon of Islamophobia, and it will be discussed at the next meeting of the Union to be held in Algeria.

The Speaker of the Turkish Parliament described the incident of burning a copy of the Holy Quran in Sweden as a "despicable act."

And he stressed that "it is important for Islamic countries to raise their voices loudly and show a more influential position," adding, "However, we do not always see this."

He pointed out that burning a copy of the Noble Qur’an under the protection of the state is a dangerous matter.

And he added, "In European countries, even the denial of the Jewish Holocaust is not allowed. The Islamic world must show the necessary reaction against this attack on the holy book (the Koran) and the basic value of two billion Muslims."

And on Saturday, the leader of the Danish far-right "hard line" party, Rasmus Paludan, burned a copy of the Qur'an near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm, amid tight police protection that prevented anyone from approaching him while he was committing a provocative act.